Streamers You May Not Know Are Musicians

Streamers have a skill set that makes them perfect for crossing over into the music industry. After all, they're used to being on camera and interacting with fans, and they've spent time thinking about their personal brands and how to market their personalities. Plus, the built in fanbase doesn't hurt a bit. That being said, only a few select streamers have made the jump into full blown music careers, complete with viral singles and newfound popularity outside of the streaming community.

Some of the streamers on this list started as gamers and morphed into pop sensations, while others have just released a single or two. Some streamers firmly stay in the realm of joke songs and one-off diss tracks, while others are legitimate pop stars in their own right, complete with music videos and rabid fans who turn out in droves for their tunes. Regardless of their level of fame in the field, here are streamers you may not know are also musicians.

IShowSpeed, or Speed, suddenly surged in popularity after years of streaming. He quickly became known for his temper and his IRL antics, and earned a reputation for flying off the handle quickly. For example, he came under fire for screaming at a kid while streaming, and he earned a "Valorant" ban for going on a misogynist rant against a teammate. Regardless, there's no denying that Speed is popular, with over 10 million YouTube subscribers tuning into his every move. What many of his fans might not know is that IShowSpeed is also trying to build his music career while growing his streaming audience.

Speed has released a few singles, including "Shake" and "Bounce that A$$," the latter of which samples "Giorno's Theme" from the anime "Jojo's Bizarre Adventure." Speed's flow lives up to his name, his rhymes hitting listeners quickly and accompanied by frenzied, pounding beats. The music has clearly found an audience, as IShowSpeed has over 1.5 million listeners on Spotify.

Some Speed fans weren't expecting his music to hit like it does. One commenter wrote, "I was definitely not expecting this to be as good as it is," while others speculated what an IShowSpeed concert would be like.

Even though Dr Disrespect seems like a tough guy, he fancies himself more of an artist than many fans might have expected. In 2022, Dr Disrespect hinted that he was looking to take his music career to the next level by potentially releasing a full album, but in the meantime, fans can enjoy his many singles.

While the Doc might be known for his high-energy FPS sessions, his music takes the complete opposite approach to entertainment, often providing ethereal vibes and synthwave aesthetics. Some of the Doc's singles, like "Gamerobics," work to promote brands he works with, while others simply provide a relaxing synth experience for fans. 

"Alleyways" is likely the Doc's most recognizable song, appearing in many of his streams. Even those who don't regularly tune in to the arena are entranced by Dr Disrespect's music. One listener commented, "I'm not even a DrDisRespect viewer but this song is an absolute banger and would get me hyped to watch his content." Another fan said that music was one of the Doc's hidden talents, and that this specific song is a testament to having a good attitude about negative situations. Released in 2020, the song likely references Dr Disrespect's ban from Twitch, which has since fueled a feud between the streamer and gaming platform.

LilyPichu is an accomplished streamer, frequently working with OfflineTV and breaking into the voice acting industry by appearing in a number of video game and anime roles. While she revealed the harsh truth that she'd spent far more money in "Genshin Impact" than she'd been paid for voicing a character in the game, LilyPichu has truly made the most of her time online. However, some fans might not know that LilyPichu also has a side project as a singer, penning her own dreamy beats and uploading them to an alternate YouTube channel, Comfi Beats.

LilyPichu had her first in-person concert on Aug. 12, 2022, singing to a sold-out venue. Called Comfi Beats, the concert was livestreamed on Scarra's Twitch channel, allowing those who weren't able to snag a ticket to still get in on the fun. To celebrate the concert, LilyPichu also released a line of cute merch with graphics that captured the cozy vibe of her music.

On Twitter, LilyPichu jokingly explained that she channels all of her negative emotions into her music, sharing her deepest sadnesses in her cute, bubbly tunes.

Lovejoy is an indie rock band with several singles and a loyal following online. What many fans might not know is that its co-founder and lead singer, Wilbur Soot, is also known for streaming. Soot got his start streaming "Minecraft," accidentally stumbling into the world of live content creation when he wanted to join a server that demanded all its participants stream their adventures. Soot told Anthony Padilla in an interview that he never really wanted to stream, but decided he might as well in order to gain access to the exclusive server. Eventually, Soot joined the Dream SMP server, and things only got bigger from there.

Soot told Anthony Padilla that he turned to music during a low point in his life. He began playing ukulele just to distract himself from his problems, but he quickly found that music was much more important to him than he realized. He soon joined a band, agreeing to play an instrument he'd never played before. Things didn't go so well there, and he left to form his own band, which resulted in Lovejoy. In the interview, Soot said that he felt that the band became famous because of his experience as a streamer, but he hopes to make the band something that is genuinely beloved by gamers and non-gamers alike.

Albert Chang, who goes by SleightlyMusical on Twitch, has indulged in a great number of hobbies over the years. He began streaming his 3D printing adventures, but eventually turned to creating music. Chang has always been musically inclined, playing violin and creating songs on his Twitch channel. In 2020, he released a full length lofi album, titled "reboot.exe." His lofi music is DMCA-free, so other streamers can use it without fear of being hit by a copyright notice or a suspension. In the YouTube description for the album, Chang noted that it was meant for "for those starting over again." Overall, Chang's smooth lofi is perfect for long gaming sessions, or just tuning out the world.

However, Chang doesn't just make music. He is also a talented magician. While he doesn't always do magic on his Twitch channel, Chang has been known to share a tip or two. In 2021 he announced on Twitter that he'd been accepted as a member of the Magic Castle, a prestigious collective of magicians.

Bella Poarch is famous on TikTok, but many fans might not know she's also a pop star. Poarch often streams on Twitch, both alone and with her friends. She's especially close with Valkyrae, and has streamed with her often in the past. The two have teamed up to cook Filipino food together and celebrate their shared culture. Poarch also got Valkyrae a surprise for her birthday, flying her mom out to see her. In other words, the pair of streamers are close and enjoy spending time together. In addition to these old-fashioned team-ups Poarch often collaborates with her streaming friends in her own way: by including them in her music videos.

Her single "Inferno" showed off many of her famous friends, featuring a host of major streamers in cameo roles. That being said, Poarch has explained that the song also holds a lot of meaning for her, and that it helped speak about her experience as a victim of sexual assault. She has continued featuring streamers in videos to singles like "Dolls." Poarch just released her first EP, also titled "Dolls," which is currently available on all major platforms.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).